NACA Reassures Nigerians on HIV Drug Availability Despite Donor Cuts

Despite recent concerns over dwindling donor support, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has assured Nigerians that antiretroviral (ARV) drugs remain sufficiently available to meet the treatment needs of people living with HIV/AIDS across the country.

This assurance was given by the Director-General of NACA, Dr. Temitope Ilori, who affirmed the agency’s commitment to uninterrupted access to lifesaving treatment. According to statements obtained by IReporter Online, Ilori stated that while Nigeria has made commendable strides in its fight against HIV/AIDS, the focus must now shift to consolidating those gains and ensuring sustainability.

“We have come a long way in terms of progress, and now it is time for us to consolidate that progress. We have to do this together as a country,” she said, addressing rising public anxiety over alleged ARV shortages.

Dr. Ilori dismissed the rumours, assuring the public that the agency, in collaboration with the federal government and development partners, has continued to procure sufficient stockpiles of ARV medication. She reiterated that there is no cause for panic and that the drug supply chain remains stable.

Echoing her reassurance, the National Secretary of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Mr. Nicholas Ugbenyen, also debunked claims of drug shortages. Speaking to IReporter Online, he stated, “There is no shortage of ARVs in the country. The earlier reports suggesting otherwise were unfounded.”

Ugbenyen emphasized that all treatment centres nationwide remain adequately supplied and that individuals on therapy have not experienced interruptions in access. His remarks aimed to dispel growing concerns over treatment disruptions attributed to alleged stock-outs.

Nigeria currently accounts for an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV. Ensuring consistent access to ARV therapy is considered critical to achieving epidemic control and meeting global UNAIDS targets, particularly the 95-95-95 strategy aimed at diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression.

NACA has continued to call for a collective national response, urging government bodies, civil society, and the private sector to sustain momentum in the fight against the epidemic and safeguard the health rights of all affected citizens.